Geprags Park was donated to the town of Hinesburg in 1989 by Dora Greprags. A covenant in the deed states that the land “shall be used only as a public park, school or for public recreational or educational purposes, and the Town of Hinesburg shall properly maintain and care for the property.”

Whether you are opposed to the Vermont Gas pipeline project or not, the question we must all ask ourselves is how we want to honor this very generous, well intentioned and clearly stated donation to the town of Hinesburg. To maintain and care for the property does not mean, in any way, secure a “better deal” with Vermont Gas for more money to run a pipeline through it.

In March of this year, Hinesburg Selectboard members said they were as surprised as anyone to find the town had granted Vermont Gas Systems a pipeline easement across a local park, and they promised more public process as they reopened negotiations after voiding that agreement. They acknowledge discussing the proposed deal in a closed meeting in 2014, but one member has said that there was a misunderstanding about whether the deal was finalized at that point.

Board members have since reversed that unclear agreement with Vermont Gas and are currently still in negotiations. Being a landowner in Hinesburg who was required to negotiate an easement with Vermont Gas, I fully understand how confusing and daunting the easement process can be but that is no excuse for allowing donated land to be used for any other purpose for which it was donated.

Rachel Smolker of Hinesburg recently said it all: “We consider that Geprags is Hinesburg’s only public park and was gifted to the town with a covenant that it be used only for recreation and education purposes. Granting its use for a gas pipeline or not objecting to that sets a very bad precedent. Anyone donating land for conservation should be concerned.”

No matter what your views are on the pipeline, honoring the gift that the town of Hinesburg accepted and agreed to care for to so many years ago, is the most important issue of all.